Shock absorbing mechanism



March 5, 1946. R. J. OLAN DER 1 2,395,972

SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Filed Feb. 12, 1944 Patented Mar. 5, 1946 UNITED STATE SHOCK ABSORBING MECHANISM Roland J. OIander, Chicago, Ill'., assignor'to W. H;

Miner,- Inc., Chicago,

ware I Ill.

, a corporation of Dela- Application February 12, 1944, S erial No. 522,070.

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shock of "railway cars,

One object of, the invention is toprovide a spring shock absorbing mechanism, including rel-- atively movable pressure transmitting members. and springs compressible in tandem by relative, movement ofsaid' members 'wherein high spring: capacity is obtained by locating spring members both interiorly and exteriorly of said pressure transmitting members.

Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a shock absorbing mechanism for. railway draft riggings,- including front and rear followers, front and rear spring casings having-intermediate follower means formed integral therewith, front and rear, inner springsv within thecasings, and front and rear outer springs surrounding the casings, wherein the front springs are compressible between the front follower of the-rigging and the intermediate follower of the rear casing, and the rear springs are compressible between the rear follower of the rigging and the intermediate follower of the front casing, thereby producing compression in tandem of said springs with resultant high shock absorbing capacity; j

Other objects of the invention will more clearly appear fromthe description and claims hereinafter following.

In the drawing forming a part of this specifica- I tion, Figure 1 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view' through a portion of the underframe structure of a railway car; illustrating my improvements in connection therewith. Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional View, corresponding substantially to the line 2-2 of Figure 1. Figure 3 is a side elevational View of the front spring casing illustrated in Figure 1, looking upwardly in said figure. I Figure 4 is an end elevational view of Figure 3, looking from right to left in said figure.

v and inner ends.

form of, a rectangular, relatively heavy plate.. The followers A and B are disposed within the yoke l3 at, the front and rear ends thereof andv cooperate respectively with the front andrear stop lugs H-Hand Il-l I...

The front and rear, pressure transmitting spring casings C and Dare identical, each casing being inthe form of aYtubular shell. ofsubstantially cylindrical cross section. open at the outer 'At the inner end, each casing with two diametrically opposite. flanges or wings Iii-l6 of fan-shaped outline; having outwardly diverging side edges l1--l1 radial to the longitudinal central axis of the shell and a curved outer edge l8 concentricto said axis. Each flange or wing [6 projects both inwardly and outwardly from the side wall of the casing, andv the opposed flanges of each casing provide intermediate follower means integral with said casing. At' the inner ends thereof, the opposed flanges Ilia-l Glare spaced apart slightly, as shown in Figure 4', and have substantially straight opposed edges Iii-l9. Between the flanges or wings l'6--l16', the opposed side Wall portions of the casing are cutaway, or recessed, providing longitudinally extending, diametrically opposite slots 20-20 and diametrically opposite arms 2 I--2|.extending lengthwise of the casing. The slots 20-20 of each casing are of a width to accommodate the arms 2| 2l' and wings lB-IB of the other casing for lengthwise sliding movement, thetransverse inner end walls 22-22- of the slots of said casingsproviding a stop for limiting relative movement of the casings toward each other.

The casingsC and D are reversely arranged end for end and have the arms 2l-2l thereof intermeshed, the casing C being turned about'its axis is, provided I through an angle of-90 degrees with-respect to the In said drawing, H!-l0 indicates the usual channel-shaped center sills of a railway car underframe, having spaced front and rear stop lugs l"l-H* on the inner sides thereof. The inner end of the; shank of the usual coupler is indicated by l2, to which isoperatively connected a hooded vertical yoke l3. The usual saddle plate M" for the yoke is secured to the underneath side of the sills l0-l0,'and, draft gear guide plates 15-45. are providedon the inner sides of the sills Ill-l 0.

My improved shock absorbing mechanism comprises broadly front and rear main followers A and B; front and rear, pressure transmitting spring casings C' and D; front and rear inner springsEandF; and front and rear outer springs G andH'.

The front and rear follower blocks A and B are of identical design, each block being in the casing- D. The casings C' and D have their open outer ends bearing'respectively on the front and rear followers A and B','and the intermediate follower members or wings 16-4 6 ofsaid casingsare guided between the draft gear guide plates l5-I 5 of'the center sills of the car.

The innersprings E and F are disposed respectivelywithin the front and rear casings C and D, the spring E having its front end bearing on the follower A and its rear end on the inwardly. projecting portions of the wings or followers Iii-l6 of the rear casing D, and thespringF having its rear end bearing on the rear follower B and its front end on the inwardly projecting portions of the wings'or followers Iii-l6 of the front casing C;

The-outer springs G and H, which are heavier than the springs E and F, are disposed atthe front and rear endsof the mechanism, respec-. tively, the spring G surrounding. the front casing C, with its front end b'earing on the front follower A and its rear end bearing on the outer portions of the wings or follower members l6-'l 6 ing the rear casing D, with its rear end bearing on the rear follower B and its front end bearing on the wings or follower members Iii-16 of the front casing C.

The operation of my improved shock absorbing mechanism is as follows: Upon a pulling or draft stroke of the coupler, of the draft rigging, the rear follower B is pulled forwardly by the yoke l3, carrying the rear follower casing.D therewith, compressing the rear springs F and H between the follower B and the follower members |6i6 of the front casing C, which is held stationary during this action by abutment with the front follower A, which is held against outward movement by the front stop lugs lll I, and compressing the front springs E and G between the follower members 16-45 of the rear casing D and the stationary front follower A. Upon a buffing force being applied to the coupler, the front follower A is forced rearwardly toward the rear follower B, which is held stationary by the rear stop lugs l ll I, and the front casing C is carried rearwardly with the follower A, compressing the front springs E and G between the front follower and the follower members l8l6 of the rear casing D, which is in abutment with the rear follower B and held stationary thereby, and compressing the rear springs F and H between the follower members l6 l6 of the front casing C and the rear follower B.

Compression of the springs is limited by engagement of the winged ends of the arms 2 l-2l of the casings with the stops 2222 of said casings, thereby preventing undue compression of said springs.

In release, the expansive action of the springs E, F, G, and H restores all of the parts of the mechanism to the normal position shown in Figure 1.

I have herein shown and described what I now 1 consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but the same is merely illustrative and I contemplate all changes and modifications that come within the scopes of the claims appended hereto.

I claim: 7

1. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with front and rear main followers movable relatively toward and away from each other; of front and .rear pressure transmitting casings bearing on said front and rear main followers respectively; intermediate follower means on said casings, respectively; front and rear compressible shock absorbing means exterior to said front and rear casings respectively, said front shock absorbing means bearing at its front and rear ends on the front main follower and the intermediate follower of said rear casing; andsaid rear shock absorbing means bearing at its front and rear ends on said intermediate follower of the front casing and said rear main follower; and front and rear compressible shock absorbing means within said casings, said last named front shock absorbing means bearing at its front and rear ends on the front main follower and the intermediate follower means of said rear casing, and said last named rear shock absorbing means bearing at its front and rear ends on said intermediate follower means of the front casing and said rear main follower.

- 2. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with front and rear main followers movable relatively toward and away from each other lengthwise of the mechanism; of front and rear pressure transmitting casings, said front casing bearing at its front end on said front main follower, and said rear casing bearing at its rear end on said rear main follower; a front intermediate follower at the rear end of the front casing and rigid therewith; a rear intermediate follower at the front end of the rear casing and rigid therewith; front and rear outer springs surrounding said casings; and front and rear inner springs within said casings, said front outer and inner springs bearing at opposite ends on said front main follower and rear intermediate follower, and said rear outer and inner springs bearing at opposite ends on said front intermediate -follower and said rear main follower.

3. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with front and'rear main followers movable relatively toward and away from each other lengthwise of the mechanism; of frontand rear pressure transmitting casings, said front casing bearing at its front end on said front main follower, and said rear casing hearing at its rear end on said rear main follower; a pair, of rearwardly extending arms on said front casing; a pair of forwardly extending arms on said rear casing slidably engaged between the arms of the front casing; front intermediate follower members at the rear ends of the arms of the front casing and rigid therewith; rear intermediate follower membersiat the front ends of the arms of the rear casing and rigid therewith; front and rear outer springs surrounding said casings; and front and rear inner springs within said casings, said front outer and inner springs bearing at opposite ends on said front main follower and rear intermediate follower members, and said rear outer and inner springs bearing at opposite ends on said front intermediate follower members and said rear main follower.

4. In a shock absorb-ing mechanism, the combination with front and rear main followers movable relatively toward and away from each other lower, and said rear casing bearing at its rear end on said rear main follower; a pair of rearwardly extending, diametrically opposite arms on said front casing; a pair of forwardly extending, diametrically opposite arms on said rear casing siidably engaged between the arms of said front casing; front intermediate follower members at the rear ends of the arms of the front casing and rigid therewith; rear intermediate follower members at the front ends of the arms of the rear, casing and rigid therewith, each of said intermediate follower members comprising a transversely disposed, fan-shaped plate, projecting laterallyinwardly and outwardly from the corresponding arm; front and rear outer springs surrounding said casings;.and front and rear inner springs within said casings, said front outer and ROLAND J. OLANDER. 

